Motor vehicle seat

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat comprising: a seat frame, a seat back, which is pivotally mounted on the seat frame; a fixing device ( 120 ) for fixing the seat frame in a previously set longitudinal position of the seat; an actuating element for releasing the fixing device; a coupling mechanism, which acts upon the actuating element and releases the fixing device when the seat back is tilted forward toward the seat surface; a memory device; setting means ( 105 ) of the memory device with which the memory position can be set in the longitudinal direction of the seat; a locking device ( 104, 107 ) of the memory device for locking a set memory position, and; means via which the locking device is coupled to the seat back. According to the invention, the seat back is coupled to the fixing device ( 120 ) and to the locking device ( 104, 107 ), whereby the actual longitudinal position of the seat serving as the memory position is initially locked by the locking device ( 104, 107 ) when the scat back is tilted forward toward the seat surface, and the fixing device ( 120 ) is subsequently released.

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle seat according to thepreamble of patent claim 1.

[0002] This comprises for example a seat frame, a seat surface providedon the seat frame, and a backrest which is mounted pivotally on the seatframe and which can be tilted forwards towards the seat surface.

[0003] Seats of this kind are used as front seats in motor vehicleswhere folding the backrest forwards makes it easier for a passenger toenter the back of the vehicle or to place objects in the back of thevehicle. An additional easy entry function which is particularly ofimportance in two-door vehicles, is achieved if the seat can be movedforwards after folding the backrest forwards. For this the vehicle seathas the following:

[0004] a longitudinal guide with which the seat frame can be moved toadjust the longitudinal position of the seat in the longitudinaldirection of the seat;

[0005] a fixing device for locking the seat frame in a previously setlongitudinal position;

[0006] an actuating element for releasing the fixing device so that theseat frame can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the seat;

[0007] a coupling mechanism for coupling the fixing device to thebackrest which acts on the actuating element and thereby releases thefixing device when the seat back has been tilted forwards to the seatsurface;

[0008] a memory device by means of which the seat frame on moving in theseat longitudinal direction can be stopped automatically in apredeterminable seat longitudinal position defined as the memoryposition whereby a stop which is associated with the seat frame andwhich can be moved in the seat longitudinal direction moves intoengagement with a counter stop of the memory device;

[0009] adjusting means of the memory device with which the memoryposition can be set by sliding the position of the counter stop in theseat longitudinal direction;

[0010] a locking device for the memory device for locking a set memoryposition and

[0011] switch means by which the locking device can be released in orderto be able to adjust the memory position.

[0012] A seat of this kind known from WO 00/55002 on the one handprovides the possibility of, after tilting the back rest forwardstowards the seat surface, sliding the seat frame and thus the entirevehicle seat forwards to enable the passenger to climb into the back(easy-entry function). At the same time the seat can then be moved verysimply again into its original seat longitudinal position if thislongitudinal position is stored as the memory position by means of thememory device provided for this purpose. In this case when sliding backthe seat the seat frame is automatically stopped in the memory positionwhereby a stop associated with the seat frame interacts with a counterstop of the memory device.

[0013] By useful position of the seat back is thereby meant here aposition in which the seat back has an incline relative to thesubstantially horizontal seat surface which enables the back of a personon the seat to be supported. To implement the easy entry function theseat has to be tilted forwards from such useful position towards theseat surface.

[0014] By seat frame are meant all the elements of the seat which can bemoved by means of the longitudinal guide in the seat longitudinaldirection, thus also the parts of the longitudinal guide itself whichcan be moved in the longitudinal direction of the seat.

[0015] The object of the invention is therefore to improve a vehicleseat of the type mentioned at the beginning, more particularly inrespect of reliably storing the actual seat position as a memoryposition when folding the seat back forwards and as regards subsequentlyarriving at the stored memory position when the backrest is located inits useful position, thus raised up.

[0016] This is achieved according to the invention by providing avehicle seat with the features of patent claim 1, 6 and 27.

[0017] According to claim 1 the backrest is coupled to the fixing deviceon one side and to the locking device on the other so that when tiltingthe backrest towards the seat surface first by means of the lockingdevice the actual seat longitudinal position is locked as the memoryposition and only then is the fixing device released.

[0018] It is hereby ensured that when implementing the easy-entryfunction a movement of the seat frame in the seat longitudinal directionfrom the actual seat position is only possible after the actual seatposition has previously been stored as the memory position.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is proposed thatthe coupling mechanism which acts on the actuating element and releasesthe fixing device when the backrest is folded forwards towards the seatsurface, as well as the means through which the locking device iscoupled to the backrest form a multi-stage acting loading and releasekinematic unit which acts on one side on the fixing device and on theother side on the locking device in order to actuate same in at leasttwo stages. Thereby in a first stage the actual seat longitudinalposition is locked as memory position by means of the locking device andin a second stage the fixing device can be released.

[0020] According to a variation of the invention the coupling mechanismonly acts on the actuating element in order to release the fixing deviceafter the actual seat longitudinal position has been locked as memoryposition by means of the locking device.

[0021] According to another variation the coupling mechanism actsalready on the actuating element in order to release the fixing devicebefore the actual seat longitudinal position has been locked as memoryposition by means of the locking device, and that the release of thefixing device is only active after the actual seat longitudinal positionhas been locked as memory position by means of the locking device.

[0022] A configuration of an arrangement for actuating the memory deviceby means of which first the actual seat longitudinal position can belocked as memory position before the fixing device of the seatlongitudinal guide is then released is characterised by the features ofpatent claim 6. According to this a follower is provided which ismounted to be movable (preferably on the seat frame) and which with thebackrest located in the useful position is held by a locking element ina position in which it—in the memory position of the seat or seatframe—acts on the memory device so that with an adjustment of the seatlongitudinal position the memory position can be adjusted together withthe seat frame whereby the follower is preferably coupled to a resettingspring which lifts the follower from the memory device when the backrestis tilted forwards.

[0023] The follower when acting on the memory device releases itslocking device and further enables resetting of the memory position whenmoving the seat.

[0024] In order to allow the follower to lift from the memory devicewhen the backrest is tilted forwards the locking element when foldingthe backrest forwards releases the follower by lifting off away from thefollower. The memory device and its locking device can then move intothe locked state so that when tilting the backrest forward with the aimof implementing the easy-entry function the actual seat position isautomatically stored by means of the memory device.

[0025] This arrangement enables on the one hand a very compactconstruction of the structural groups provided for providing aneasy-entry function, as will be apparent from the description below ofembodiments in connection with the drawings. On the other hand it can beensured in simple manner that when approaching the memoryposition—depending on requirements—the seat is stopped selectively inthe memory position or moves over the memory position and sets thisagain at the same time.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the invention when the backrest istilted forwards the follower lifts away from the memory device beforethe fixing device of the seat longitudinal guide coupled to the backrestis released. It is hereby ensured that the actual seat position isstored by means of the memory device before the seat longitudinaladjustment can start after release of the fixing device.

[0027] This is achieved in particular in that when folding the backrestforwards about a first angle from its useful position the follower islifted from the memory device and that when tilting the backrest furtherforwards the fixing device is released. The absolute value of theaforementioned angle thereby depends on which incline the backrest haspreviously in the useful position. Alternatively the two angles can alsobe defined relative to the vertical (i.e. to the vertically alignedbackrest). Decisive in each case is that the angle about which thebackrest has to be pivoted when folding forwards until the fixing deviceis released is absolutely greater than the angle about which thebackrest has to be folded forwards as a whole until the follower liftsfrom the memory device.

[0028] According to one embodiment of the invention the locking elementis elastically pretensioned towards the follower whereby the pretensionwith which the locking element acts on the follower is greater than theresetting action of the resetting spring coupled to the follower. Thelocking element can hereby hold the follower against the action of theresetting spring in a position in which the follower acts on the memorydevice so that this is unlocked so that during adjustment of the seatfrom the memory position with the backrest located in the usefulposition the memory position is adjusted anew.

[0029] On the other hand the locking element must be coupled to thebackrest so that when folding the backrest forwards the locking elementis lifted from the follower. A traction member such as in particular thecore of a Bowden cable can be used to couple the locking element to thebackrest.

[0030] The locking element is preferably pivotally mounted and providedon a lever which has at the same time an actuating section for releasingthe fixing device of the seat longitudinal guide.

[0031] The follower in turn is preferably mounted longitudinallydisplaceable and designed so that it can positively act on the memorydevice in order to actuate during adjustment of the seat longitudinalposition (with the backrest in the useful position, i.e. with the memorydevice released) a new setting of the memory position at the same time.

[0032] If the seat is located outside of its memory position, then thefollower is spaced in the seat longitudinal direction from the memorydevice so that the locking device of the memory device can readilyoccupy its locked state. For this the locking device is preferablypretensioned in the direction of the locked state.

[0033] On approaching the memory position with the backrest in theuseful position the follower preferably acts on the memory device sothat its locking device is released. It is hereby ensured that thememory position during adjustment of the seat with the backrest raisedup (i.e. in particular whilst a vehicle occupant is located on thecorresponding seat) can be readily set again.

[0034] Conversely the follower when the backrest is tilted forwardsunder the action of its resetting spring is located in a position inwhich it does not act on the memory device so that on approaching thememory position with the backrest tilted forwards (i.e. whenimplementing the easy-entry function) the seat is stopped in the memoryposition so that the seat position existing before executing theeasy-entry function is automatically found once more.

[0035] In order to facilitate approaching the memory position andreleasing the memory device when the backrest is in the useful positionthe memory device preferably has a ramp with which the follower onapproaching the memory position enters into active connection, i.e. bythe follower sliding on the ramp into the memory position.

[0036] Thus according to claim 27 a hold down member mounted movable(preferably on the seat frame) is provided which in the memory positionof the seat and with the backrest located in the useful position (raisedup) acts on the memory device so that its locking device is released,and a ramp is provided (movable together with the locking device in theseat longitudinal direction) with which the hold down member onapproaching the memory position with the backrest in the useful positionenters into active connection whereby it moves along and on same.

[0037] The hold down member when acting on the memory device releasesthe locking device and can then furthermore serve as follower whichenables a new setting of the memory position on displacing the seat(with the backrest raised up), thus particularly in a case where theseat is moved together with the vehicle occupant seated thereon toadjust the seat longitudinal position.

[0038] The ramp provided according to the invention enables onapproaching the memory position with the backrest raised up in theuseful position an automatic release and if required entrainment of thelocking device of the memory device in that the hold down member ismoved by means of the ramp deliberately into a position in which it actson the locking device so that this is released. As a result whendisplacing the seat with the backrest raised up an automatic new settingof the memory position can take place.

[0039] In particular the solution according to the invention makes itpossible to use a longitudinally displaceable but non-pivotal hold downmember (mounted rigid transversely to its direction of displacement) forreleasing the locking device. Preferably the follower is mounted movablealong a straight line, namely the vertical vehicle axis (thus inparticular perpendicular to the seat longitudinal direction). The holddown member can be guided by means of the ramp on approaching the memoryposition so that pivoting is not required.

[0040] The hold down member can on approaching the memory position slideon the ramp or be moved by rollers or wheels on the ramp.

[0041] According to one embodiment of the invention the movably mountedhold down member is mounted spring elastic in its direction of movementso that it can travel over the ramp (inclined in the seat longitudinaldirection). Alternatively it can be proposed that the hold down memberis moved on elastic wheels or rollers along the ramp.

[0042] The locking device of the memory device has a locking unit whichis displaceable in the seat longitudinal direction and which defines atthe same time the memory position whereby the locking unit has anassociated detent device which has detent points arranged in successionin the longitudinal direction of the seat where the locking unit can belocked relative to the detent device. The locking unit itself comprisesa pivotally mounted locking pawl which has a catch element which canengage in the detent device at the different detent points. The holddown member acts on the locking pawl to release this locking device.

[0043] The ramp is in this case preferably formed on the pivotallymounted locking pawl of the locking unit so that on travelling over theramp the locking pawl is pivoted increasingly by the hold down memberand the locking device is released. The ramp thereby makes it possiblein particular for the follower to move up onto the locking pawl onapproaching the memory position.

[0044] The ramp thereby extends across the seat longitudinal directiononly over a part of the width of the locking pawl so that the adjoiningregions can act as a stop.

[0045] In a further development of the invention a stop is provided onthe locking device, more particularly on the locking pawl and onapproaching the memory position interacts with a stop on the seat frameside (connected to the seat longitudinal guide) so that release of thelocking device is blocked until the seat frame has reached the memoryposition.

[0046] The hold down member preferably serves at the same time as afollower which in the memory position of the seat and with the backrestin the useful position acts on the memory device so that the memoryposition when adjusting the seat longitudinal position is adjustedtogether with the seat frame. No separate additional follower is thenrequired for adjusting the memory position when displacing the seat.

[0047] The hold down member can then when the backrest is raised up beheld in the position by means of a locking element in which it releasesthe locking device and can furthermore be coupled to a resetting device,more particularly a resetting spring which when the backrest is foldedforwards lifts the follower from the memory device.

[0048] With a locking device having a locking unit which can bedisplaced in the seat longitudinal direction and which in the lockedstate defines the memory position and which is associated with a detentcatch device which comprises detent points arranged in succession in theseat longitudinal direction on which the locking unit can lock relativeto the detent device, and with a locking pawl pivotally mounted on thelocking unit and provided with a detent element which can engage in thedetent device at the said detent points, the follower preferably acts onthe memory device through the locking pawl.

[0049] A stop can be provided on the locking pawl on which the followeracts when the backrest is located in its useful position so that thelocking unit when adjusting the seat longitudinal position can beentrained with the backrest raised up. The stop can also be formed by anindent in the locking pawl in which the follower engages which isdisplaceable together with the seat frame in the seat longitudinaldirection.

[0050] Fixing the memory position by means of the locking device isgenerally not carried out steplessly, i.e. infinitely, but a number ofdetent points are provided at each of which the memory device can belocked and thus the memory position fixed. This can lead to problems ifthe seat longitudinal adjustment enables at the same time an infiniteadjustment of the seat longitudinal position. For it regularly happensthat a seat user moves the seat into a seat longitudinal position andwould like to lock it there where a locking of the (non-stepless) memorydevice is not possible. In such a case it must be ensured that aftertriggering the easy-entry function (by folding the backrest forwardstowards the seat surface) from a position in which the memory device isnot locked because the actually set seat longitudinal position was notassociated with any suitable detent point of the locking device, thislocking can be repeated. For this according to the invention the memorydevice has a stop which in the non-locked state of the memory deviceinteracts with an associated stop of the seat frame (which can beprovided for example on the seat-side rail of the longitudinal guide) sothat the parts of the memory device movable in the seat longitudinaldirection are first entrained on sliding the seat forward with thebackrest tilted forwards until the locking device of the memory devicecatches on the next detent point and is thereby locked. With thislocking or engagement of the locking device the corresponding stop ismoved so that it is no longer in engagement with the associated stop onthe side frame side. The seat frame can then be moved further in theseat longitudinal direction whereby the memory device remains in thepreviously locked memory position.

[0051] The solution according to the invention enables a very compactarrangement of all the structural groups which ensure the easy-entryfunction, including the memory device and the fixing device for the seatlongitudinal adjustment. In particular the memory device can hereby bearranged completely within the space enclosed by the rails of thelongitudinal guide.

[0052] Further features and advantages of the invention will now beexplained with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings:

[0053] They show:

[0054]FIG. 1a a perspective view of parts of a seat frame with a seatlongitudinal guide, with a fixing device of the seat longitudinal guideas well as with a programmable memory device for automatically locatinga predetermined seat longitudinal position, in a state in which the backrest of the corresponding seat is located in its useful position;

[0055]FIG. 1b a view according to FIG. 1a, in which the rails of theseat longitudinal guide are not shown;

[0056]FIG. 2 a view according to FIG. 1b in which the backrest of theseat has been folded further forwards from its useful position;

[0057]FIG. 3 a further view according to FIG. 1b in which the backrestof the seat has been folded right onto the associated seat surface;

[0058]FIG. 4 a modification of the memory device of FIGS. 1a to 3;

[0059]FIGS. 5a to 5 c the memory device of FIG. 4 in different phaseswhen approaching the memory position of a seat, whose backrest islocated in its useful position;

[0060]FIG. 6 a perspective view of a seat frame known from the prior artin a state in which the seat is locked with its backrest raised up inits memory position;

[0061]FIG. 6a a rear view of FIG. 6;

[0062]FIG. 7 a view according to FIG. 6 in a state in which the backrestis folded forwards in order that the seat can be moved with the backrestfolded forwards;

[0063]FIG. 8 a view according to FIG. 6 in a state in which with thebackrest raised up in the memory position an actuating lever wasactuated to re-set the memory position;

[0064]FIG. 9 a view according to FIG. 6 in a state in which the memoryposition of the seat is approached with the backrest raised up;

[0065]FIG. 10 a view according to FIG. 6 in a state in which the memoryposition of the seat is reached with the backrest raised up;

[0066]FIG. 11 a diagrammatic view of a seat frame.

[0067] The seat frame G (seat lower frame) illustrated in side view inFIG. 11 comprises a seat rail 2 which is mounted movable in the seatlongitudinal direction L on a lower rail 1 which is to be fixed on thevehicle body, and a seat side part 8 which is attached height adjustableon the seat rail 2 through front and rear articulated levers. The seatframe G has a corresponding arrangement on its other longitudinal sidewhich cannot be seen in FIG. 11.

[0068] Extending between the two seat side parts of the seat frame G isa seat surface which holds a seat cushion on which the vehicle occupantcan sit.

[0069] Furthermore the side parts 8 of the seat frame G each have abearing point 80 for pivotally mounting a backrest R which is shown indotted lines in FIG. 11.

[0070] Here, parts of the seat frame are to mean all those componentparts which are movable in the longitudinal direction of the seat on thelower rail 1 which is fixed on the body, thus in particular the seatrail 2, the seat side part 8 and the further component parts of the seatconnected thereto.

[0071] If a vehicle seat of this kind which is displaceable in thelongitudinal direction L is used for a two-door vehicle then it is knownin order to make entry easier into the back of the vehicle to couple thebackrest to the seat longitudinal adjuster, namely so that when tiltingthe backrest R forwards towards the seat surface which extends betweenthe seat side parts 8 a fixing device associated with the seatlongitudinal guide 1, 2 is released and the seat can be moved forwardswith the backrest tilted forwards. This is the so-called easy-entryfunction.

[0072] In the following there is first an explanation, using a seatassembly known from WO 00/55002 and illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 10, of thebasic principle of the easy-entry function when using a programmablememory device for automatically locating a predeterminable seatlongitudinal position. For further details on this reference is made toWO 00/55002 which in this respect is an explicit part of the presentspecification.

[0073] In the perspective front view according to FIG. 6 and theassociated rear view according to FIG. 6a can be seen a rail 101 fixedon the body and a seat rail 102 movable thereon in the seat longitudinaldirection L whereby the rail 101 fixed on the body is provided with afixed ratchet rail 107 having several ratchet openings 170 arranged insuccession in the seat longitudinal direction L. The seat rail 102supports the remaining components of the seat frame, see FIG. 11.

[0074] The seat rail 102 is lockable relative to the rail 101 fixed onthe body by means of a fixing device 120. This can be a conventionalfixing device for a seat longitudinal adjuster. In FIGS. 6 and 6a thehousing, a pivotally mounted actuating element 120 b and a torsionspring of a known fixing device acting on the actuating element 120 bare shown, with the housing fixed on the seat rail 2. The torsion springserves inter alia to remove play from the assembly to prevent rattlingnoises.

[0075] This fixing device comprises by way of example according to DE299 10 720 U1 a number of locking teeth arranged inside the housing andpretensioned—by means of springs mounted in the form of coil springs inthe housing—elastically towards a detent device fixed on the rail 1 onthe side of the body, but not shown in FIGS. 6 and 6a. As a result ofthe pretension acting on the locking teeth the locking teeth which areassociated with the seat rail 102 automatically engage in the detentdevice fixed on the body so that the seat longitudinal adjustment islocked unless the locking teeth are disengaged from the detent device bymeans of the actuating element 120 b provided for this purpose.

[0076] Since the actuating element 120 b of the fixing device 120 ispretensioned by means of the spring assembly 120 a which consists of thesprings mounted inside the housing and acting on the locking teeth, andthe torsion spring mounted outside of the housing, against the directionin which it has to be swivelled for releasing the fixing device 120, thefixing device 120 can only then be released if a force is exerted on theactuating element 120 b against the action of the spring assembly 120 a.

[0077] In order to release the fixing device 120 the actuating element120 b can be directly actuated on one side by a seat user seizing anactuating lever 109 pivotally attached to the seat frame and having across bar 190 by means of the actuating handle 190 provided for this(not shown in FIGS. 6 and 6a) and swivelling this anti-clockwise wherebythe actuating element 120 b moves down against the pretension of thespring assembly 120 a. On the other hand the fixing device 120 can alsobe released by folding the seat back forwards whereby the seat back iscoupled to the operating lever 109 through a Bowden cable which has acable 121 b and whose Bowden tube (not shown) is supported on a Bowdencable support 121. Furthermore a gearing part 122 is mounted on theswivel axis of the actuating lever 109 by means of an axle shaft 124,the gearing part having a guide 122 a as well as a mounting 122 b forthe cable 121 b of the Bowden cable. This gearing part 122 converts atightening of the cable 121 b when folding the backrest forwards into aswivel movement which in turn is transferred through two arms 123 of thegearing which engage round the actuating lever 109 to same. Theactuating lever 109 hereby swivels clockwise when folding the backrestforwards and releases the fixing device 120 through the actuatingelement 120 b.

[0078] Furthermore a cable nipple 168 is fixed, e.g. squashed, on thecable 121 b of the Bowden cable between the Bowden cable support 121which is fixed by means of a fixing plate 121 a on the seat rail, andthe gearing 122. The cable nipple 168 is associated with a switchelement in the form of a switch lever 106 which is mounted by means of abearing bush 165, a stepped bolt 165 a as well as a screw 166 to pivotabout an axis formed by the longitudinal axis of the stepped bolt 165 a,and which is at the same time fixed on the seat frame or it seat rail102. The switch lever 106 has in an upper section 161 a stop 162 whichis mounted directly adjacent the cable nipple 168 and on which the cablenipple 168 can act in the seat longitudinal direction whereby the switchlever 106 is pivoted.

[0079] The second end section of the switch lever 106 mounted underneaththe bearing bush 165 and stepped bolt 165 a forms an actuating section160 associated with an actuating section of a locking pawl 104 of thememory device. The actuating section of the locking pawl 104 is therebyformed by an actuating face 140 on the top side of the locking pawl.

[0080] The switch lever 106 is here locked in the position illustratedin FIGS. 6 and 6a in which the actuating section 160 acts on theactuating surface 140 of the locking pawl 104, through a projection 191of the actuating lever 109 on which the upper section 161 of the switchlever 106 is vertically (across the seat longitudinal direction L)supported by a stop 163. The torque required for this is applied by thespring assembly 120 a of the fixing device 120 which acts on the leverprojection 191 through the actuating element 120 b and the actuatinglever 109.

[0081] As an alternative or in addition the perpendicular position ofthe switch lever 106 can also be supported by a spring mounted directlyon the switch lever 106 or in that the switch lever 106 is mounted withsufficient friction which cannot be overcome by the action of thecompression spring 400 of the locking pawl 104.

[0082] The locking pawl 104 itself is as can be seen from FIG. 6apivotally mounted on a bearing pivot 155 of a slide 105 which is guidedwith a base body 150 in the seat longitudinal direction L movable nextto the detent openings 170 of the ratchet rail 107. The slide has in itsbase body 150 a recess 152 in which a compression spring 400 is mountedwhich acts underneath the actuating section 140 of the locking pawl 104on the latter and thereby pretensions the locking pawl 104 so that adetent hook 141 arranged at the other end of the locking pawl 104 hasthe tendency to engage in the ratchet rail 107. In the situationillustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a in which the seat is locked in the memoryposition with the backrest not folded forwards the locking pawl isblocked so that the actuating section 160 of the switch lever 106 issupported on the actuating face 140 of the locking pawl 104 so that thelatter cannot swivel about the bearing pin 155 in order to bring thedetent hook 141 into engagement with the ratchet rail 107.

[0083] In the situation illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a a counter stop 144of the locking pawl 104 is in contact with a stop 132 of a stop element103 which is fixed by fixing screws 136 on the seat rail 102.Furthermore a follower 143 of the locking pawl 104 which adjoins thestop 144 at the top is located in engagement with an engagement region134 of the stop element 103.

[0084] If in the state of the seat illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a inwhich the seat is locked in the memory position, the backrest is foldedforwards then the cable 121 b of the Bowden cable is tensioned and movedtowards the rear seat end (on the backrest side).

[0085] According to FIG. 7 on the one hand the actuating lever 109 ispivoted through the gearing part 122 and the arms 123 anti-clockwisewhereby it acts on the actuating element 120 b and releases the fixingdevice 120. On the other the cable nipple 168 which is squashed with thecable 121 b is moved towards the rear seat end and thereby acts on thestop 162 in the upper section 161 of the switch lever 106. The switchlever 106 is thereby swivelled anti-clockwise whereby its actuatingsection 160 is lifted from the associated actuating face 140 of thelocking pawl 104. This swivel movement of the switch lever 106 ispossible since this is no longer blocked through the lever projection191 which was indeed pivoted downwards together with the actuating lever109. With the switch lever 106 having released the locking pawl 104 thelatter now swivels as a result of the action of the compression spring400 (see FIG. 6a) about the bearing pivot 155 of the slide 105 until thedetent hook 141 engages in an opening 170 of the ratchet rail 107. Thelocking pawl 104 and thus the memory device overall is thereby locked.

[0086] The swivel movement of the locking pawl 104 has moreover theresult that the follower 143 of the locking pawl 104 and the engagementregion 134 of the stop element 103 move out of engagement. This isnecessary in order that the seat frame can be moved since otherwisemovement of the seat would be blocked by the locked memory device.

[0087] The cable nipple 168 thereby serves here as locking means whichwith the backrest folded forwards acts on the switch lever 106 so thatthe locking pawl 104 cannot be released by means of the switch lever106.

[0088] The arrangement is designed so that when tilting the backrestforwards the detent hook 141 can engage under the action of thecompression spring 400 already in a detent opening 170 before the fixingdevice 120 is released so far that the seat rail 102 can be displacedrelative to the rail 101 fixed on the body. A reliable storage of theactual seat longitudinal position as the memory position is herebyguaranteed. If otherwise the detent hook 141 cannot engage directly in adetent opening 170 because the seat is positioned such that the detenthook 141 under the action of the compression spring 400 strikes on a webbetween the two detent openings 170 then the detent hook 141 onlyengages in the next detent opening 170 which it passes after a slightdisplacement of the seat frame in the seat longitudinal direction L. Insuch a case a slight deviation arises between the seat longitudinalposition when folding the backrest forwards and the then subsequentlystored memory position.

[0089] In the state illustrated in FIG. 7 which was reached by foldingthe backrest forwards the seat frame can now be pushed forwards with thebackrest folded forwards in the seat longitudinal direction L in orderto make it easier for a passenger to enter or place objects in the backof the vehicle.

[0090] If the seat is then moved back with the backrest folded forwardsit is automatically stopped at the latest in the memory position definedby the locking pawl 104. For on reaching the memory position the stop132 of the seat frame moves into contact with the stop 144 of the memorydevice whereby a further movement of the seat frame backwards isprevented.

[0091] If then the backrest is folded back again into its functionposition then the tension of the cable 121 b is released and the switchlever 106 as well as the actuating lever 109 with the projection 191fixed thereon move back into the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6a.If then the actuating lever 109 is swivelled anti-clockwise in order torelease the fixing device 120 then the position illustrated in FIG. 8 isadopted.

[0092] On manually pivoting the actuating lever 109 by means of anactuating handle provided for this purpose the fixing device 120 isindeed released through the actuating element 120 b so that the seatframe can be moved in the seat longitudinal direction L on the rail 101fixed on the body; however here—as opposed to folding the backrestforwards—the switch lever 106 remains in its upright position in whichits actuating section 160 acts vertically on the actuating surface 140.It is hereby prevented that the locking pawl 104 is locked through theaction of the compression spring 400.

[0093] As a result of the lever projection 191 which is swivelled downaccording to FIG. 8 and which consequently does not adjoin theassociated stop 163 of the switch lever 106 the vertical position of theswitch lever 106 must be secured for example by a suitable formation ofthe actuating surface 140 of the locking pawl 104. The actuating surface140 can hereby be curved so that under the action of the compressionspring 400 of the locking pawl 104 it exerts no torque on the actuatingsection 160 of the switch lever 106 which would cause a pivotal movementof the switch lever 106 anti-clockwise. In other words the interactionof the actuating surface 140 of the locking pawl 104 with the actuatingsection 160 of the switch lever 106 must be such that through the forcesintroduced by the compression spring 400 from the locking pawl 104 nopivotal movement of the switch lever 106 anti clockwise is initiated. Apivotal movement of the switch lever 106 in the clockwise direction isblocked through the cable nipple 168.

[0094] Alternatively the perpendicular position of the switch lever106—as already mentioned—can also be secured by means of a suitablespring element or by sufficiently large friction forces.

[0095] In short the actuation of the actuating lever 109 in the memoryposition of the seat (with the backrest not folded forwards) leads to onthe one hand the fixing device 120 being released whilst at the sametime the locking pawl 104 and thus the memory device remain overall inthe released state, which already existed before pivoting the actuatinglever 109, see FIGS. 6 and 6a. Moreover the follower 143 of the memorydevice engages in the engagement region 134 of the stop element 103 onthe seat rail side.

[0096] In this state movement of the seat frame in the seat longitudinaldirection L leads to at the same time the locking pawl 140 beingentrained so that during sliding of the seat a new memory position isset also at the same time. The newly set memory position whichcorresponds to the seat longitudinal position newly set by sliding theseat frame is however not already locked when the actuating lever 109 isfinally let go. For this has according to FIGS. 6 and 6a at first onlythe result that the fixing device 120 is locked and thus the seat rail102 is locked relative to the rail 101 fixed on the body. Locking of thememory device however only happens according to FIG. 7 when in the newseat longitudinal position the seat back is folded forwards. Thus in thepresent embodiment the memory device is then only locked when the seatis moved forwards with the backrest folded forwards within the scope ofthe easy-entry function.

[0097]FIG. 9 shows the seat frame after it was first pushed forwardswith the seat back folded forwards in the seat longitudinal direction Lwhereby the locking pawl 104 has been left back locked in the originalseat position, and after then the backrest was folded back again intoits function position. Furthermore the actuating lever 109 is pivoted sothat the fixing device 120 is released and the seat frame can beadjusted in the seat longitudinal direction selectively forwards orbackwards. In each seat longitudinal position which is hereby reachedthe seat frame can be locked by the fixing device 120 relative to therail 1 fixed on the body by letting go the actuating lever 109.

[0098]FIG. 10 finally shows the position of the seat frame when thelatter is moved back with the backrest upright into the memory position.The switch lever 106 hereby stops with its actuating section 160 againsta projection 140 a which projected vertically upwards from the actuatingsurface 140 of the locking pawl 104. This is due to the fact that thelocking pawl 104 is located in the locked state in which it engages byits detent hook 141 (see FIG. 6a) in a detent opening 170 of the ratchetrail 107. Through the inclined position of the actuating face 140 of thelocking pawl 104 associated with this the pawl exerts on the actuatingsection 160 of the switch lever 106 a torque with a component parallelto the seat longitudinal direction L. As a result of this the switchlever 106 is pivoted anti clockwise and its actuating section 160engages with the projection 140 a of the locking pawl 104. This has theeffect that the locking pawl 104 remains locked when the seat lowerframe has reached the memory position shown in FIG. 10.

[0099] In short the actuating face 140 in the locked state of thelocking pawl 104 interacts with the actuating section 160 of the switchlever 106 so that the latter is pivoted when the seat is pushed with thebackrest upright into the memory position whereby release of the lockingpawl 104 is prevented.

[0100] (If the seat is pushed back with the backrest folded forwardsinto the memory position then the switch lever 106 as a result of theaction of the cable nipple 168 is swivelled anyhow, see FIG. 7 so thatalso in this case no release of the memory device can take place). Onthe other hand the actuating face 140 of the locking pawl 104 and theactuating section 160 of the switch lever 106 interact in the releasedstate of the locking pawl 104, see FIG. 6, so that the locking pawl 104remains released, as described in further detail above with reference toFIG. 6.

[0101] As a result of the locked state of the locking pawl 104 the seatframe on reaching the memory position is automatically stopped when thestop 132 of the stop element 103 on the seat frame side becomes blockedwith the counter stop 144 of the memory device (see FIG. 6a).

[0102] If then in the memory position the actuating lever 109 is let gothe latter is swivelled clockwise through the action of the springassembly 120 a of the fixing device 120 until the said fixing device 120is again locked. At the same time through the projection 191 of theactuating lever 109 which acts on the angled stop 162 in the uppersection 161 of the switch lever 106 the switch lever 106 is pivotedclockwise into its perpendicular position whereby the switch lever 106acts by its actuating section 160 on the actuating face 140 of thelocking pawl 104 and releases same (against the action of thecompression spring 400)—(which requires a suitable design of the springassembly 120 a).

[0103] The seat is then located again in the state explained withreference to FIGS. 6 and 6a with the backrest raised up in the memoryposition.

[0104] A further development according to the invention of the knownvehicle seat described above with reference to FIGS. 6 to 11 will now beexplained with reference to FIGS. 1ato 3. The vehicle seat and its seatframe illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 11 substantially agree regarding thedesign of the rail longitudinal guide 101, 102, the design of the fixingdevice 120 as well as regarding the design of the memory device 104,105, 107, with the vehicle seat described with reference to FIGS. 6 to11. These features will therefore not be described in finer detail.Instead in this respect reference is made to the explanations providedabove on FIGS. 6 to 11 where by using matching reference numerals forcorresponding component parts in FIGS. 1ato 3 on the one hand and inFIGS. 6 to 11 on the other the required connections are provided.

[0105] The essential characteristic features of the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1ato 3 of the invention lie in the formation of afollower and an associated locking element which enable an automaticre-adjustment of the memory position when the vehicle seat is moved withthe backrest raised up (backrest in useful position) and which prevent aresetting of the memory position if the vehicle seat is displaced forexecuting an easy-entry function with the backrest folded forwards onthe seat surface. These two function groups will now be described withreference to FIGS. 1a to 3.

[0106] In FIG. 1a a perspective view shows a seat longitudinal guide101, 102 consisting of a lower rail 101 to be mounted fixed on the bodyand an upper rail 102 which supports the seat frame. This longitudinalguide 101, 102 enables an adjustment of the seat longitudinal position(position of the seat frame in the seat longitudinal direction L).

[0107] In order to lock a previously set seat longitudinal position afixing device 120 provided with elastically pretensioned locking teeth Zis mounted on the top rail 102 on the seat side (seat rail) and whoselocking teeth Z can engage in associated detent openings of the lowerrail fixed on the body in order to lock the two rails 101, 102. Throughthe elastic pretension of the locking teeth Z in the direction of theassociated detent openings the fixing device 120 has the tendency tolock the two rails 101, 102 together if this is not released by actionon an actuating element 102 b provided for this purpose (see FIGS. 7 to10). This action can—as already mentioned with reference to FIGS. 6 to11—take place on one side by a direct release of the fixing devicethrough a suitable actuating lever or indirectly by folding the backrestforwards to trigger the easy-entry function. Furthermore from FIG. 1aandin particular FIG. 1b in which the rails 101, 102 are not shown, theessential constituent parts of a memory device 104, 105, 107 can beseen, namely a slide 105, a locking pawl 104 swivel mounted on the slide105, as well as a ratchet rail 107 provided with detent openings 170, inwhich a detent hook 141 of the locking pawl 104 can engage for locking apreviously set memory position. Also here reference is made to theexplanations on FIGS. 6 to 11.

[0108]FIGS. 1aand 1 b show a section of the seat frame formed accordingto the invention in a state in which the seat with the backrest raisedup (in its useful position) is locked in a memory position by means ofthe fixing device 120.

[0109] In this state a hold down member in the form of a follower 203acts on the locking pawl 104 of the memory device so that the lockingpawl 104 is lifted by its detent hook 141 out from the ratchet rail 107.The follower 203 is mounted longitudinally displaceable on the seat rail102 or on a holding part 201 fixed on the seat rail 102 and comprises anelongated base body 230 on whose lower end facing the locking pawl 104is fixed or formed a follower element 234 which is provided with anentrainment opening 235. This follower 203 is pretensioned by means ofan elastic element 232 in the form of a compression spring (resettingspring) which is supported on one side on the holding part 201 and onthe other on a projection 231 protruding from the base body 230 of thefollower 203, in a direction away from the locking pawl 104 so that ithas the tendency to lift away from the locking pawl 104. This is howeverprevented by a locking element 221 on the base body 220 of a lever 202which is pivotally mounted above an axis 225 and which is pretensionedby means of a spring element 228 in the form of a torsion spring in thedirection of the projection 231 of the follower 203 so that the lockingelement 221 presses the follower against the action of the elasticelement 232 provided on the follower against the locking pawl so thatthe detent hook 141 of the locking pawl 104 is lifted out from theratchet rail 107. At the same time a projection 145 of the locking pawlformed as a detent nose engages in the entrainment opening 235 of thefollower 203.

[0110] This is achieved in that the locking element 221 which ispretensioned by the torsion spring 228 exerts on the follower 203 aforce in the direction of the locking pawl 204 which is greater than theforce acting as a result of the compression spring 232 in the oppositedirection. The detent hook 141 is thus lifted out from the detentopenings 170 of the ratchet rail 107 and the locking pawl 104 can duringdisplacement of the seat with the backrest raised up be entrained in theseat longitudinal direction L so that the memory position is set anew atthe same time as the seat is displaced.

[0111] If in the state of the seat illustrated in FIGS. 1aand 1 b thebackrest is folded forwards towards the seat surface the cable 121 a ofa Bowden cable 121 a, 121 b is hereby tensioned which is connected byone end to the seat back and by the other end to the base body 220 ofthe pivotally mounted lever 202. The lever 202 is hereby pivoted so thatthe locking element 221 is lifted from the projection 231 of thefollower 203 and thus the follower is lifted from the locking pawl 104under the action of the compression spring 232. Since the locking pawl104—as explained with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10—is again set underpretension by means of a spring element so that the detent hook 141 ofthe locking pawl 104 has the tendency to engage in one of the detentopenings 170 of the ratchet rail 107 then the locking pawl 104 is lockedin its actual position. This corresponds to a locking of the memorydevice 104, 105, 107 overall. This state is shown in FIG. 2.

[0112] The mechanism is designed so that the locking of the memorydevice 104, 105, 107 is carried out during folding the backrest forwardsabout 20° to 40° from a vertical useful position. The locking of thememory device thus takes place already in the first stage (phase) ofactivating the easy entry mechanism by folding the backrest forwardstowards the seat surface. The fixing device 120 is locked in this firstphase of folding the backrest forwards as before so that no displacementof the seat can take place in the longitudinal direction L.

[0113] This is only possible on folding the backrest further forwardswhereby according to FIG. 3 an actuating section 222 provided on thepivotally mounted lever 202 acts on the actuating lever 109 of thefixing device 120 illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10 so that the fixing device120 is released. This then enables a displacement of the seat in thelongitudinal direction L.

[0114] According to this, displacement of the seat in the longitudinaldirection L is only possible on folding the backrest forwards to executethe easy-entry function after the locking pawl 104 of the memory device104, 105, 107 has been locked. Thus the memory position which existswhen folding the backrest forwards is reliably fixed before adisplacement of the seat can take place with the backrest foldedforwards. This memory position can then be located when subsequentlymoving the seat back again, as explained above with reference to FIGS. 6to 10. It is thus prevented that when implementing the easy-entryfunction displacement of the seat with the backrest folded forwards cantake place before the starting position of the seat is fixed as memoryposition.

[0115] The entire assembly is thereby very compact as a result of theability of the follower 203 to slide substantially perpendicular to theextension direction L of the seat longitudinal guide as well as throughthe pivotal bearing of the lever 202 with the locking element 221 and islocated substantially within the space enclosed by the rails 101, 102 ofthe rail longitudinal guide or only projects upwards from same.

[0116] If according to FIGS. 1ato 3 the backrest of the seat is foldedforwards in order to trigger the easy-entry function then the problemmay arise that the detent hook 141 of the locking pawl 104 cannot engagein one of the detent openings 170 of the ratchet rail 107. For thefixing device 120 enables as a rule an infinite adjustment of the seatlongitudinal position, see the fixing device described in DE 299 10 720U1 whilst here for locking the memory position a finely stepped (thus noinfinite) engagement is provided (by using the ratchet rail 107 withdetent openings 170). Thus it may happen that when folding the backrestforwards the detent hook 141 of the locking pawl 104 cannot engage in adetent opening 170 but stands up on the edge. Initially no locking ofthe memory position is then possible.

[0117] If now with the backrest folded forwards the seat frame and thusalso the seat rail 102 are moved forwards out from the memory positionin the seat longitudinal direction (easy-entry function) then thelocking pawl 104 is thereby entrained together with the slide 105 alonga little since a stop 127 provided on the seat rail 102 acts on anassociated stop 147 on the locking pawl side. The locking pawl 104 andslide 105 are thereby entrained only so far until the detent hook 141 ofthe locking pawl 104 can engage completely in the next detent opening170 of the ratchet rail 107 under the action of the spring elementprovided on the locking pawl. The locking pawl 104 and thus the lockingdevice 104, 107 of the memory device 104, 105, 107 as a whole are thenlocked in that memory position which lies closest to the seatlongitudinal position in which the fixing device 120 was locked prior tofolding the backrest forwards.

[0118] In the locking state in which the detent hook 141 of the lockingpawl 104 engages in a detent opening 170 of the ratchet rail 107 thestop 147 on the locking pawl side is located beneath the stop 127 on theseat rail side so that these stops 127, 147 can no longer move intoactive connection with each other. The seat can then be moved forwardsfurther in the seat longitudinal direction L whereby the locking pawl104 and slide 105 remain in the previously locked memory position.

[0119]FIG. 4 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1ato 3,namely with a view of approaching the memory position when sliding backthe seat with the backrest raised and thus located in the usefulposition. This relates in particular to the case where the seat is movedbackwards towards the memory position whilst a vehicle occupant isseated on the seat.

[0120] If the seat is pushed with the backrest raised up into the memoryposition after it previously has been pushed out from the memoryposition with the backrest folded forwards, thus without entrainment ofthe locking pawl 104 and slide 105 then the follower 203 on reaching thememory position strikes the locking pawl 104. The follower 203 isthereby pressed down by means of the locking element 221 (not shown inFIG. 4) towards the locking pawl 104 of the memory device owing to thebackrest located in the useful position.

[0121] In order in this state illustrated in FIG. 4 to enable reachingthe actual memory position in which the follower 203 engages positivelyin the locking pawl 104, the locking pawl 104 has a ramp 146 on whichthe lower end section 234′ of the follower 203 can slide up to an indent145′ of the locking pawl 104. This is shown in FIGS. 5a to 5 c wherebythe follower 203 then engages in the memory position with its lower endsection 234′ into the associated indent 145′ of the locking pawl 104.The lower end section 234′ of the follower 203 as well as the indent145′ of the locking paw 104 then act as stops which enable entrainmentof the locking pawl 104 together with the slide 105 during furtherdisplacement of the seat.

[0122] The ramp 146 thereby extends only over a part of the width of thelocking pawl 104( extension perpendicular to the seat longitudinaldirection L and to the movement direction of the follower 203) so thatadjoining areas 148 of the locking pawl 104 can act as stops in order todefine the memory position in the locked state of the locking pawl 104.

[0123] Since the follower 203 on approaching the memory position withthe backrest raised up and located in the useful position is presseddown towards the locking pawl 104, on approaching the memory position italso lifts at the same time the detent hook 141 of the locking pawl 104out from the associated ratchet rail 107 only then is the common furtherdisplacement possible of the seat on one side and of the locking pawl104 and slide 105 on the other.

[0124] Through the interaction of the stop 127 on the seat frame sidewith the stop 147 on the locking pawl side when approaching the memoryposition whereby the stop 147 of the locking device (locking pawl 104)on the locking pawl side is supported vertically (parallel to thedirection of movement of the follower 203) on the stop 127 on the seatframe side, whilst the follower 203 slides along the ramp 146, liftingthe locking pawl 104 out from the associated ratchet rail 107 is onlypossible after the stop 147 on the locking pawl side has passed the stop127 on the seat frame side. The follower 203 then engages in the indent145′. Since the stops 127, 147 first prevent a pivotal movement of thelocking pawl 104 and the ramp 147 runs inclined in the seat longitudinaldirection, the follower 203 is first raised on travelling over the ramp146. The follower 203 which is mounted resiliently (by means of thespring 232) hereby carries out a compensating movement in the verticaldirection.

[0125] In short the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 4to 5 c enables when approaching the memory position with the backrestraised up in the useful position an automatic entrainment of the parts104, 105 of the memory device located in the memory position so thatwhen adjusting the seat with the backrest raised up an automaticre-setting of the memory position can take place. If however the memoryposition is arrived at with the backrest folded forwards onto the seatthen the follower 203 is located under the action of the compressionspring 232 in a position in which it cannot act on the locking pawl 104of the memory device 104, 105, 107. The locking pawl 104 thereby remainstogether with the slide 105 locked in the memory position in which theseat is then automatically stopped so that the previously set memoryposition has been relocated when sliding the seat back with the backrestfolded forwards—as desired.

[0126] As can be seen in particular from FIG. 4 the follower 203 is onlyfirst able to move onto the locking pawl 104 through the ramp 146 sinceotherwise the follower 203 on approaching the memory position would stopwith the locking pawl 104 and could not move onto same in order torelease the locking device. In other words, the hold down member islifted by means of the ramp (towards the indent 145′).

1. Motor vehicle seat with a seat frame (G), a backrest (R) which ispivotally mounted on the seat frame (G) and which can be folded forwardsfrom its useful position towards a seat surface of the seat frame (G), alongitudinal guide (101, 102) with which the seat frame (G) can be movedin the seat longitudinal direction (L) for adjusting the longitudinalposition of the seat, a fixing device (120) for locking the seat frame(G) in a previously adjusted seat longitudinal position, an actuatingelement (120 b) for releasing the fixing device (120) so that the seatframe (G) can be moved in the seat longitudinal direction (L), acoupling mechanism which acts on the actuating element (120 b) andreleases the fixing device (120) when the backrest (R) has been foldedforwards towards the seat surface, a memory device (104, 105, 107) bymeans of which the seat frame (G) when moving in the seat longitudinaldirection can be stopped automatically in an adjustable seatlongitudinal position defined as the memory position, a locking device(104, 107) of the memory device (104, 105, 107) for locking a set memoryposition, and means (202, 206) through which the locking device (104,107) is coupled to the backrest (R), characterised in that the backrest(R) is coupled to the fixing device (20) on one side and to the lockingdevice (104, 107) on the other so that when folding the backrest (R)forwards towards the seat surface at first by means of the lockingdevice (104, 107) the actual seat longitudinal position is locked as thememory position and then the fixing device (120) is released.
 2. Motorvehicle seat according to claim 1, characterised in that the couplingmechanism which acts on the actuating element (120 b) and releases thefixing device (120) when the backrest (R) has been folded forwardstowards the seat surface, as well as the means (202, 206) through whichthe locking device (104, 107) is coupled to the backrest (R) form amulti-stage acting locking and release kinematic system which acts onone side on the fixing device (120) and on the other side on the lockingdevice (104, 107) in order to actuate same in at least two stages. 3.Motor vehicle seat according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that in afirst stage the actual seat longitudinal position is locked by means ofthe locking device (104, 107) as the memory position and in a secondstage the fixing device (120) is released.
 4. Motor vehicle seataccording to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that thecoupling mechanism only acts on the actuating element (120 b) to releasethe fixing device (120) after the actual seat longitudinal position hasbeen locked as the memory position by means of the locking device (104,107).
 5. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 1 to 3,characterised in that the coupling mechanism already acts on theactuating element (120 b) to release the fixing device (120) before theactual seat longitudinal position has been locked as the memory positionby means of the locking device (104, 107) and that the release of thefixing device (120) is only active after the actual seat longitudinalposition has been locked as the memory position by means of the lockingdevice (104, 107).
 6. Motor vehicle seat with a seat frame (G), abackrest (R) which is pivotally mounted on the seat frame (G) and whichcan be folded forwards from its useful position towards a seat surfaceof the seat frame (G), a longitudinal guide (101, 102) with which theseat frame (G) can be moved in the seat longitudinal direction (L) foradjusting the longitudinal position of the seat, a fixing device (120)for locking the seat frame (G) in a previously adjusted seatlongitudinal position, an actuating element (120 b) for releasing thefixing device (120) so that the seat frame (G) can be moved in the seatlongitudinal direction (L), a coupling mechanism which acts on theactuating element (120 b) and releases the fixing device (120) when thebackrest (R) has been folded forwards towards the seat surface, a memorydevice (104, 105, 107) by means of which the seat frame (G) when movingin the seat longitudinal direction can be stopped automatically in anadjustable seat longitudinal position defined as the memory position, alocking device (104, 107) of the memory device (104, 105, 107) forlocking a set memory position, and means (202, 206) through which thelocking device (104, 107) is coupled to the backrest (R), moreparticularly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised inthat a movably mounted follower (203) is provided which with thebackrest (R) in the useful position is held by a locking element (221)in a position in which it acts on the memory device (104, 105, 107) inthe memory position of the seat so that the memory position is adjustedtogether with the seat frame (G) when the seat longitudinal position isadjusted.
 7. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 6, characterized inthat the follower (203) is coupled to resetting means (232) which whenthe backrest (R) is folded forwards lift the follower (203) from thememory device (104, 105, 107).
 8. Motor vehicle seat according to claim7, characterised in that the resetting means (232) are formed asresetting springs.
 9. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 6 to8, characterised in that when folding the backrest (R) forwards thelocking element (221) releases the follower (203).
 10. Motor vehicleseat according to claim 9, characterised in that the locking element(221) lifts away from the follower (203) when the backrest (R) is foldedforwards.
 11. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 6 to 10,characterised in that the follower (203) on folding the backrest (R)forwards lifts away from the memory device (104, 105, 107) before thefixing device (120) is released.
 12. Motor vehicle seat according toclaim 11 characterised in that when folding the backrest (R) forwardsabout a first angular region from its useful position the follower (203)lifts away from the memory device (104, 105, 107) and thereby fixes thememory position and that on folding the backrest (R) further forwardsthe fixing device (120) is released.
 13. Motor vehicle seat according toone of claims 6 to 12, characterised in that the locking element (221)is elastically pretensioned towards the follower (203).
 14. Motorvehicle seat according to claim 13, characterised in that the pretensionwith which the locking element (221) acts on the follower (203) isgreater than the resetting action of the resetting spring (232) which iscoupled to the follower (203).
 15. Motor vehicle seat according to claim13 or 14, characterised in that the locking element (221) when foldingthe backrest (R) forwards is lifted away from the follower (203) underthe action of the resetting spring (232).
 16. Motor vehicle seataccording to one of claims 6 to 15, characterised in that the lockingelement (221) is coupled to the backrest (R) by means of a tractionmember (121 b) more particularly the core of a Bowden cable.
 17. Motorvehicle seat according to one of claims 6 to 15, characterised in thatthe locking element (221) is pivotally mounted.
 18. Motor vehicle seataccording to one of claims 6 to 16, characterised in that the lockingelement (221) is provided on a lever (202) which has an actuatingsection (222) for releasing the fixing device (120).
 19. Motor vehicleseat according to one of claims 6 to 18, characterised in that thefollower (203) is mounted longitudinally displaceable.
 20. Motor vehicleseat according to one of claims 6 to 19, characterized in that thefollower acts positively on the memory device (104, 105, 107) in orderto effect the adjustment of the memory position at the same time asadjusting the seat longitudinal position.
 21. Motor vehicle seataccording to one of claims 6 to 20, characterised in that the follower(203) is mounted on the seat frame (G).
 22. Motor vehicle seat accordingto one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking device(104, 107) of the memory device (104, 105, 107) is locked when the seatis located out of the memory position.
 23. Motor vehicle seat accordingto claim 22, characterised in that the locking device (104, 107) ispretensioned towards the locked state.
 24. Motor vehicle seat accordingto claim 6 and claim 22 or 23, characterised in that the follower (203)on approaching the memory position with the backrest (R) located in theuseful position acts on the memory device (104, 105, 107) so that itslocking device (104, 107) is released on approaching the memoryposition.
 25. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 22 to 24,characterized in that the follower (203) with the backrest (R) foldedforwards is located under the action of the resetting spring (232) in aposition in which it does not act on the memory device (104, 105, 107).26. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 6 to 25, characterisedin that on the memory device (104, 105, 107) there is a ramp (146) withwhich the follower (203) comes into active connection on approaching thememory position, more particularly by the follower (203) sliding alongthe ramp (146) on approaching the memory position.
 27. Motor vehicleseat with a seat frame (G), a backrest (R) which is pivotally mounted onthe seat frame (G) and which can be folded forwards from its usefulposition towards a seat surface of the seat frame (G), a longitudinalguide (101, 102) with which the seat frame (G) can be moved in the seatlongitudinal direction (L) for adjusting the longitudinal position ofthe seat, a fixing device (120) for locking the seat frame (G) in apreviously adjusted seat longitudinal position, an actuating element(120 b) for releasing the fixing device (120) so that the seat frame (G)can be moved in the seat longitudinal direction (L), a couplingmechanism which acts on the actuating element (120 b) and releases thefixing device (120) when the backrest (R) has been folded forwardstowards the seat surface a memory device (104, 105, 107) by means ofwhich the seat frame (G) when moving in the seat longitudinal directioncan be stopped automatically in an adjustable seat longitudinal positiondefined as the memory position, a locking device (104, 107) of thememory device (104, 105, 107) for locking a set memory position, means(202, 206) through which the locking device (104, 107) is coupled to thebackrest (R), a movably mounted hold down member (203) which in thememory position of the seat and with the backrest (R) located in theuseful position acts on the memory device (104, 105, 107) so that itslocking device (104, 107) is released, and a ramp (146) with which thehold down member (203) comes into active connection on approaching thememory position with the backrest (R) in the useful position, whereby itis guided into a position in which it acts on the locking device (104,107) so that this is released, characterised in that an abutment (147)is provided on the locking device (104, 107) which on moving into thememory position cooperates with an abutment (127) on the seat frame sidewhich blocks a release of the locking device (104, 107) until the seatframe (G) reaches the memory position.
 28. Motor vehicle seat accordingto claim 27, characterised in that the ramp (146) is provided on thememory device (104, 105, 107).
 29. Motor vehicle seat according to claim27 or 28, characterised in that the hold down member (203) slides on theramp (146) on approaching the memory position.
 30. Motor vehicle seataccording to claim 27 or 28, characterised in that the hold down member(203) on approaching the memory position moves on the ramp (146) bymeans of rollers or wheels.
 31. Motor vehicle seat according to one ofclaims 27 to 30, characterised in that the hold down member (203) ismounted spring elastic.
 32. Motor vehicle seat according to one ofclaims 27 to 31, characterized in that the hold down member (203) ismounted longitudinally displaceable.
 33. Motor vehicle seat according toone of claims 27 to 32, characterised in that the hold down member (203)on approaching the memory position with the backrest (R) located in theuseful position acts on the locking device (104, 107) of the memorydevice (104, 105, 107) so that the latter is released.
 34. Motor vehicleseat according to one of claims 27 to 33, characterised in that the holddown member (203) in the memory position of the seat frame engages in anindent (145′) provided on the locking device (104, 107).
 35. Motorvehicle seat according to one of claims 27 to 34, characterised in thatthe ramp (146) is inclined in the seat longitudinal direction (L). 36.Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 27 to 35, characterised inthat the ramp (146) is provided on a locking unit (104) of the lockingdevice (104, 107) which can be displaceable in the seat longitudinaldirection (L).
 37. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 36,characterized in that the ramp (146) is provided on a pivotally mountedstructural assembly of the locking unit (104).
 38. Motor vehicle seataccording to claim 37, characterised in that the pivotally mountedstructural assembly is formed by a locking pawl (104) of the lockingunit (104, 105).
 39. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 37 or 38,characterised in that the pivotally mounted structural assembly onapproaching the memory position is pivoted more and more under theaction of the hold down member (203) whereby the locking device (104,107) becomes released.
 40. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims37 to 39, characterised in that the ramp (146) extends across the seatlongitudinal direction (L) only over a part of the width of thepivotally mounted structural assembly (104).
 41. Motor vehicle seataccording to one of claims 27 to 40, characterised in that a stop (147)is provided on the locking device (104, 107) and on approaching thememory position interacts with a stop (127) on the seat frame side sothat release of the locking device (104, 107) is blocked until the seatframe (G) has reached the memory position.
 42. Motor vehicle seataccording to claim 36 or 37 and claim 41, characterised in that the stop(147) provided on the locking device (104, 107) is mounted on thepivotal structural assembly (104).
 43. Motor vehicle seat according toclaim 41 or 42, characterised in that the stop (127) on the seat frameside is connected to the seat longitudinal guide (101, 102).
 44. Motorvehicle seat according to one of the preceding claims, characterised inthat the hold down member (203) serves as a follower which in the memoryposition of the seat and with the backrest (R) located in the usefulposition acts on the memory device (104, 105, 107) so that the memoryposition during adjustment of the seat longitudinal position is adjustedtogether with the seat frame (G).
 45. Motor vehicle seat according toone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the locking device(104, 107) has a locking unit (104) which is displaceable in the seatlongitudinal direction (L) and which defines the memory position at thesame time.
 46. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 45, characterisedin that the locking unit (104) is assigned a detent device (107) whichhas in the seat longitudinal direction (L) detent points (170) arrangedin succession and on which the locking unit (104) can be locked relativeto the detent device (107).
 47. Motor vehicle seat according to claim46, characterised in that the locking unit comprises a pivotally mountedlocking pawl (104) which has a detent element (141) which can engage onthe detent points (170) in the detent device (107).
 48. Motor vehicleseat according to claim 6 or 44 and claim 47, characterised in that thefollower (203) acts on the locking pawl (104) to release the lockingdevice (104, 107).
 49. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 6 or 44 andclaim 47 or 48, characterised in that the locking pawl (104) is providedwith a stop (145, 145′) on which the follower (203) acts when thebackrest (R) is located in a useful position so that the locking unit(104) is entrained during adjustment of the seat longitudinal position.50. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 49, characterized in that thestop (145, 145′) is formed by a projection (145) or an indentation(145′).
 51. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 26 or 27 and one ofclaims 47 to 50, characterised in that the ramp (146) is provided on thelocking pawl (104).
 52. Motor vehicle seat according to one of thepreceding claims, but at least claims 6 to 44 and claim 45,characterised in that the locking unit (104) of the memory device (104,105, 107) is provided with a stop (147) which is associated with atleast a stop (127) on the seat frame side which during adjustment of theseat frame (G) in the seat longitudinal direction (L) from the memoryposition entrains the locking unit (104) when the latter is notcompletely locked, even if the follower (203) is lifted from the memorydevice (104, 105, 107), and that the stop (127, 128) on the seat frameside no longer acts on the locking unit (104) as soon as the latter islocked.
 53. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 47 and 52,characterised in that the stop is provided on the locking pawl (104) ofthe locking unit.
 54. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 53,characterised in that the stop (147) is brought out of engagement withthe at least one stop (127) on the seat frame side when the locking pawl(104) engages by its detent hook (141) in the associated detent opening(170).
 55. Motor vehicle seat according to one of claims 52 to 54,characterised in that the locking unit (104) is pretensioned towards thedetent openings (170).
 56. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 55,characterised in that the locking unit (104) automatically engages inthe next detent opening (170) when the seat frame (G) is moved in theseat longitudinal direction and the follower (203) is lifted from thememory device (104, 105, 107).
 57. Motor vehicle seat according to oneof the preceding claims, characterised in that the longitudinal guide(101, 102) is formed by two interengaging rails (101, 120) which includea hollow space between same and that the structural assemblies of thememory device (104, 105, 107) are disposed within this hollow space.